Have you Googled yourself lately?

When was the last time you searched for your name on Google? I did so recently and discovered another person whose last name is my first name. There were a number of entries about him mixed in with references to my blog posts, my articles and my activities on various sites. Which would not be too much of a worry, except that my namesake was in the news, and not for something good...

The first place many people will go to find out about you is NOT your website, but Google. This is why it is very important to keep an eye on your Google name search. They may Bing you (the Microsoft search engine), but for the sake of this discussion I will assume Google and Bing work the same way.

Whether you have a website or not, your professional activities leave a trail on the search engines. I have a habit that when I hear a name, I go straight to my favorite engine and search them. When I search on a person's name, I look for three things:

a. Is this person who they say they are: Checking addresses, phone numbers, company name (You would be surprised that sometimes I find people who are fraudulently presenting themselves)

b. Is this person professionally active: Quality of content, frequency, do they have a personal site, their LinkedIn connections, Facebook friends.

c. What do others say about him/her: Does the name appear on other people's sites, in other events, newspapers, articles and other media.

Here are some tips to improve the impression a person will get when they Google or Bing your name:

1. Have an account on Big Three social media sites:

Most of the time, on Google, you will find that it is not your web site or your blog that comes up first, but rather your social media pages such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Search engine ranking algorithms seems to give significant weight to these sites. Whether you use social media or not, open an account on these systems and include your contact info and a short description of yourself. This has the added advantage of "reserving" your name on these sites so that a namesake doesn't take it over.

2. Make sure your website and blog tags and keywords are current:

Your META tag provides the short description that appears in Google or any search engine, after the title of your site or blog. In most cases this is easy to update (check the parameters or settings of your web site or blog system). Use this space to include the short form of your positioning or "who and do what" statement as well as your phone number. Update the keywords to include your full name, short name and combinations, including initials. With a clear tag and quality keywords in the header of your site or blog (which you can update yourself), you will already have a jump on your namesakes.

3. If you are buried lower down on the search page results, focus on creating frequent and relevant content:

Most search engines take into account how often you update your sites and blogs to determine where they appear in the search order. If your name is getting buried by your namesakes, start updating your blogs more often (ideally every day or two) with content focused on your area of expertise. Post your articles on aggregation sites (like EzineArticles.com) The search engines will pick up on your content relatively quickly and move you up the page.

4. Don't sweat the "SEO" (Search Engine Optimization):

Remember, we're talking here about people who search your name because they've heard of you through word-of-mouth or referral, which will account for a big percentage of searches about you at this stage of your business. This is why I'm not a believer in hiring people to "search engine optimize" your site unless you are doing big volumes (thousands of dollars) through the internet already.



As a solopreneur, most people will hear about you through word of mouth or referral before they find you on the search engines, which is why most people will want to Google or Bing your name to see if you're for real. By following these simple tips, it will be you that comes up at the top of their search, which will reinforce your credibility and help you get more and better clients.

Blog recommendation: Michel Fortin, Copywriter

I've just added Michel Fortin's blog to my Google Reader list:

http://www.michelfortin.com/

"Top copywriting tips, news, articles, and thoughts on the world of direct response copy, Internet marketing, web conversion, selling, sales training, branding, positioning, blogging, and success from copywriter Michel Fortin."

Looking through his posts, Michel provides practical ideas to encourage your readers not only to read what you write, but also to act on what you suggest.

Recommended!

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You can follow my "shared" posts from Google Reader here:

http://www.google.com/reader/shared/davenderg

Your Business Card: Is it working for you?

Tip: Your business card is an important and inexpensive tool to build trust and credibility as a solo-professional. Here are some tips to make your card work for you:

• Essential info to include on the front of the card: Name, phone#, email, web site, positioning statement.
• Only include primary degrees or qualifications (don't have a long alphabet soup of letters after your name. Showing off too many certifications may denote insecurity about yourself)
• If you work from home, don't put your mailing address, unless you receive clients at your home office. This avoids junk mail. Also, with Google Maps people can find you too easily and arrive at certain conclusions depending on which area of town you live in. If a contact absolutely needs my postal address, I can give it to them separately by e-mail or writing on the back of the card.
  
• If you do consulting or knowledge work, include a 1-800 toll-free number. It's inexpensive (ask me how) and denotes professionalism and that your clients are not only local (builds credibility)
  
• Avoid fancy logos, extra flaps, foil stamping. When in doubt, stay conservative and keep your cards simple and sober. The best people carry simple business cards because they don't need to show off.
  
• Use thick card stock, contrasting colors.White or light-colored backgrounds are easy to read, even in the poor lighting of networking events.
  
• Make it easy to read. If it scans accurately with an OCR like CardScan it's a good layout.

Booked Solid Friday with Davender Gupta and Ted Behr- Developing your Brand

How do you want to be known in the world?

Date:	Friday, July 17, 2009
Time:	2:00pm - 2:30pm
Location:	DIRECT LINK TO LISTEN: http://bit.ly/bysradio20090717

Description

Join Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach Davender Gupta as he discusses "Developing Your Brand" with Coach Ted Behr.

Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach Ted Behr works with newly self-employed service professionals to help them get all the clients they can handle and give the world an opportunity to receive their talent. Ted recently went through an extensive process to help develop his branding as "The Uncommon Success Coach", and will share his insights on the branding process to help you get noticed and attract better clients.

Meet Ted through his websites http://www.uncommonsuccessco.com
and http://www.getbookedsolidnow.com

This episode is hosted by Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach Davender Gupta, whose site is http://www.getmoreandbetterclients.com

DIRECT LINK TO LISTEN: http://bit.ly/bysradio20090717

Or listen by phone Friday 2PM Eastern: Call-in Number: (347) 327-9030

Join this spirited discussion about how the Book Yourself Solid system can help you achieve business success, even if you hate marketing and selling!

Book Yourself Solid Radio is a webradio show inspired by the bestselling book by Michael Port, focusing on helping you get more clients than you can handle... even if you hate marketing and selling!

Hosted by Certified Book Yourself Solid Coaches Trish Lambert and Davender Gupta, they interview fellow Certified Coaches to help you succeed in filling your business.

The show takes place every Friday from 2PM to 2:30PM Eastern

Check out the latest guests, listen to the show or download podcasts of past episodes at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookyourselfsolid

Burt Dubin's Definition of an Expert

Burt Dubin helps Speakers get booked. Here is a gem of wisdom from one of his articles:

An expert is not someone who knows what he knows.
An expert is someone who is known for knowing what he knows.
- Burt Dubin

I recommend that you sign up for his Speaking Biz Strategies Letter because even though the focus is on professional speakers, the ideas he shares apply to helping any solo professional get noticed and booked.
Link to article on Burt Dubin's log: http://bit.ly/euVJn

Build your credibility by becoming a content creator

As a solo professional, you probably understand the importance of demonstrating your competence in order to build credibility. So on your website you post a description of who you are and what you offer. And if you are particularly detail-oriented, you have a link to your current resumé and a list of customers, selected showcase projects and even some testimonials from happy clients. This should be more than enough to convince your prospect of your qualifications for the job, right?

But what if I told you that all this information has but a minor influence on the opinion your prospects make of you ... what would you do?

Let's be frank: your prospective customers attach little importance to testimonials, client lists and sample projects, because they know that you show only the most glowing reviews (that is, if you didn't invent the whole thing from scratch, or so they might believe).

Remember the old saying: "Don't tell me what you can do for me, show me!" The most effective way to establish your credibility and to attract clients who recognize your value and who are willing to commit, is to demonstrate your expertise.

Photographers, graphic designers, filmmakers, painters and other creative professionals know the value of a portfolio. They accumulate examples of their work to demonstrate their expertise to potential customers. But in professional services, when your products are intangible, how do you accumulate the evidence that establishes your credibility?

Any professional who wants to develop and demonstrate their credibility must become a content creator. By generating articles, videos, photos and other types of content, you make your experience more tangible. Quality content that makes you credible is much more attractive than slick advertising or vague promises.

There are five types of content you can create to present your expertise:

1. "Education": lessons and recommendations that emerge from your experience with your customers (for example, case studies);
2. "Demonstration": Describe how to do something related to your specialty (for example, this "how to" article);
3. "Opinion": Your comments on situations or the news, always related to your specialty and how you want to be known. Your opinion demonstrates how you interpret situations and propose solutions. Be careful to remain respectful and politically neutral;
4. "Recommendation": Provide resources (books, articles, videos, contacts) related to your specialty;
5. "Information": Communicating news about your specialty, passing along items from the media demonstrating various aspects of what you do (example: a tax specialist passing along news of changes to the law).

There are various ways to deliver your content. Keep it simple, choose media and communication styles that come naturally to you, for example:

- Writing articles;
- Short online videos (YouTube) or audio (podcast style through BlogTalkRadio);
- Record your presentations, speeches, seminars, Toastmasters speeches;
- Photos or illustrations, etc..

The important thing is to create content that communicates your ideas with your communication style and your voice.

Develop a steady pace in generating your content, whether monthly, weekly or daily. Your content need not be extensive: it is better to be short and precise. It's the frequency that matters, so if you want more prospects, increase the pace of your output.

Establish a central location to display your content, even if it is distributed to several locations. Your business blog is the preferred place to store your information. I also recommend that you host the best content on your main website, either in whole or through hyperlinks. The more often your content is refreshed, more search engines will locate it, and you will be easier to find.

The time, effort and money you invest in generating quality content to build your professional portfolio will result in a strong positioning and loyal customers. By demonstrating your expertise, you will be able to power your Vision from Passion to Profit!

A candid letter to a marketing consultant who wants me to hire her

Dear Miss Marketing Consultant:

I witnessed the awesome work you did to help an entrepreneur friend of mine get her story in the newspapers, on the TV and on the radio recently. I'm very impressed with what you achieved. This is why I called you to see if you could meet with me. You see, I also have a great project around which I want to create a lot of media buzz.

I liked our first meeting. You asked a lot of questions, took many notes. I get your youthful enthusiasm and your love for what you can do for your clients.

But here is the problem. I feel a distance between us. At the end of our meeting, you said you would come back with a proposal outlining your process, with a couple of recommendations and a detailed quote. I expect that to create this proposal it would take some of your time (one or two days). I'm concerned about creating a situation where I might feel guilty about all the work you have done to date, and if I say no to moving forward now it will mean the end of any future relationship, and conversely if I say yes, I will lose control of my project.

I like you. I really do. And I want to find a way to incorporate you into my project, this baby of mine in which I have invested so much of my time, energy, money and emotion.

Which is why I decided to write this note to you, so you can understand my current state of mind and how I feel about the potential of us working together.

Please read these notes as simply my current thoughts, so you are aware of where we really stand.

- If I ask you to meet with me, it's not necessarily to write a cheque to you right now. I'm curious to meet with you, judge your suitability, and see what you think about my project. Consider this a first date.

- Give me some ideas or point me to some resources right now to demonstrate your credibility. They don't have to be the final answers, or even right ones. Be open with your ideas. I'm not paying for you to learn about me, or for you to demonstrate your ideas to me. I'll pay (well) for the execution, for results.

- You asked me what is my budget for this project. I don't know (and if I knew would I tell you at this stage of the relationship?) What is the magic number you are looking for? Of course I don't want to pay for media. Tell me how you can make my investment in you pay for itself, plus a substantial return.

- I don't want you to go away and come back with ideas. Co-create them with me, please!

- At this stage I'm not interested in a detailed report with a pretty cover and my name on the front. You're wasting your time. Meet with me a couple of times, let's brainstorm. Don't worry, I'm not going to act on the ideas in your place, I'm too busy with what I'm working on. But I do want to have some kind of ownership stake in the process. After all, this is my baby we're talking about.

- Don't tell me what you'll change, tell me what you like about my current branding/positioning/logo/name and what aspects could be retained or emphasized. Don't make me throw away ten years of emotional equity in my business. I already know that I will reject any ideas for logos, names, that I have not participated in brainstorming with you.

- Don't treat me as if I don't know anything about marketing. (You're not saying it, but there is a little bit of that tone in your approach). After all, I've been in business much longer than you have. What I like about you are your contacts and how you connect with them to get your client's stories out.

- Ask me questions, check out my sites, have a couple of coffee dates with me before sending me a quote. Draw up some ideas, quick sketches or storyboards. Invest some time and effort in me. Schmooze me.

- Propose ideas that are in alignment with my approach to business. I'm not interested in Search Engine Optimization of my sites, I want to create an active Tribe around me. Do you know authors like Seth Godin, Michael Port, Tim Sanders, Tom Peters? Whose ideas inspire you?

- Teach me what I need to know, don't make me dependent on you.

- Don't ask me to send you my materials. Do as if you were to look for me. Give me feedback on how easy (or not) it is to find me, and what your impressions are (good as well as points to improve).

- Please don't interpret a "no" as in forever. I want help, but I will act on my own time. The more accepting you are of my "no", the sooner you will get a "yes". It's a paradox, but since we are dealing with affairs of the heart, that's the way it goes.


I hope with these points you understand better the frame of mind that I'm in. I really want to make this work, I really do. Now do you want to sell your services to me, or become a long-term co-creating partner in a Big Project that is making a long-lasting impact in our community?


Sincerely yours

-davender

Facebook for Solopreneurs: About Personal, Fan and Group pages

Facebook is a great tool to establish a loyal network, demonstrate your competence and build trust and credibility. However, to do so, you need to understand how to position yourself on Facebook in an effective manner.

As a solopreneur on Facebook, you need to set up three kinds of pages:


1. Your personal page, under your own real name.

The basic building block of Facebook is the personal page, where you show your real self. You seek out friends and friends will seek you out based on your personal name, building a personal network, the basic network of Facebook.

On Facebook, almost any type of business, Fan or Group page must first be created by an identifiable individual, which is why having a personal page is important.

You must use a personal name for your personal page. Even if most of what you post on your personal wall is about your business project, this is not the place to make offers or solicit clients. Also, remember that everything you post on your personal page goes out to all of your Facebook Friends, so only share information that builds on the personal positioning you want to project.

Having a personal page also builds your personal credibility and helps people begin to trust you. Remember: people don't get excited about doing business with businesses, they prefer to do business with people.

2. A Fan page, under your business name.

Your Fan page is the "personal page" of your business, and is where people join to keep in touch about your business. By joining your Fan page, they give you permission for you to contact them specifically about your business. You can also post updates about what your business is doing. Your Fans can also post comments on your business wall. With a Fan page you have a lot of control over what is posted.

People who join as a Fan of your business may or may not be a personal "Facebook Friend" of your personal page (this is a good thing). It is also a kind of vote of confidence in your business.

Setting up a Fan page is somewhat hidden: Go to the bottom of your Personal page, click "Advertising" then at the top of the Advertising page click "Pages" then on the Pages page click the green "Create a new page" button. Then follow the prompts. There is no charge to have a Fan page for your business.

3. One (or several) Group pages, each focusing on a specific offer or interest.

Your Group pages focus on a specific area of interest (your target market) or offers (like your Standing Invite of a teleclass, webinar or web radio show). On Group pages you can set up events or notices. Group pages are like a mailing list for your specific Standing Invite Offer.

Be careful not to have too many Group pages, however you should have at least one Group page representing your key Standing Invite.

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The three types of Facebook pages are designed to work together. Do not try to shortcut the process by trying to set up a personal page with your business name. Sooner or later you will hit a wall and all your work will be wasted.

This may be a bit confusing at first, but once you get started establishing a Facebook presence, after 3 to 6 months you can have a great platform to build your network, and demonstrate your competence and credibility. Asking for help from a coach will shorten the development cycle and accelerate your results.

For more information about getting started with Facebook, check out my article "How to get started on Facebook as a solopreneur" http://en.davender.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=119&Itemid=31

Happy and prosperous Facebooking!

Five tips to get started with Twitter (and not get burned)

Twitter is a variation on instant messaging where you can communicate with people. Your entries ("tweets") are limited to 140 characters.

A lot has been said in the mainstream media about Twitter - which has also triggered a lot of misconceptions.

Twitter is a valuable tool for the solo-professional. Here are five tips to get started with Twitter:


1. Set up an account using your real name and a real profile.

Complete your Profile settings using your real name, a short description of who you are, your website, and upload a picture. Avoid using underscores (_) or numbers in your name. A natural-looking handle (screen name) will encourage people to "follow" (connect with) you. It is very important that you have a picture of you on your profile, otherwise your account will be regarded as spam by the users.

2. Use the "Find People" function to find and follow people you know that may be on Twitter

The core idea of Twitter is about having near-synchronous (near-real-time) conversations with people you know and trust. Start building your network by seeking out a dozen people you know, and learn how to use the system by interacting with them. ( https://twitter.com/invitations/find_on_twitter )

You may read about the importance of following lots of people in order to have people following you. Over time you will develop a network. Do not blindly click left and right to build up to your 2000 follower limit, in hopes that some people will follow you. Do not use software to automatically "find" followers for you (they tend to be spam, and can get you banned).

Once you start to get the hang of Twitter with your "starter group", then you can start to branch out to connect with people you have not yet met. You can ask your current network for suggestions. Twitter also has a custom that Friday is #followfriday where people recommend other Twitter users that are worth following.

Give yourself some time, and you will build a natural audience for your tweets.

3. On Twitter, content is king.

The media likes to make fun of Twitter because of the many examples of inane and pointless chatter that goes on about what they had for breakfast.

Ignore them.

The real magic of Twitter is what one Tweeter @jayrosen_nyu calls "mindcasting" - the sharing of ideas.

What I appreciate about Twitter is that I can share ideas, insights, questions I'm asking myself (and others), in order to spark conversations.

Start your Twitter experience by sharing two or three ideas a day: observations, maybe one favorite quote, maybe a question you are pondering. Be concise, don't use too many abbrev. If you can't fit want you want to say into 140 characters, reconsider your thought to boil it down to its essence. Twitter is a great exercise in clarity.

Once you start tweeting interesting stuff (see below) you will attract a loyal following. Good content will get you hundreds of followers in a matter of weeks, without spamming.

4. Instead of using Twitter through the web page, use specialized tools.

The Twitter web site is not built for extensive use. The real magic of Twitter comes from the large universe of specialized tools that use the Twitter messaging system but organize the information in ways much easier to understand. Here are two free apps that I recommend (you only need one of them):

- TweetDeck (PC, Mac, Linux): Tweetdeck is a social media browser application that allow you to manage the information you get from your Twitter, Facebook and other systems. It works on any computer through Adobe Air (free). Strengths: being able to organize my social messaging in easy-to-understand groups. You can follow, reply, search and manage your Twitter account through TweetDeck. Only downside, it takes up a whole screen. Get it at http://tweetdeck.com

- Twhirl (PC, Mac, Linux): Twhirl is another social media browser. I prefer its compact interface especially on my small-screen netbook. I really like the search function - I set a couple of search profiles (on my name, on topics of interest) and it automatically returns the latest tweets from anywhere on the search terms. I find it works better in Mac and Linux than TweetDeck (personal opinion). Get it at http://www.twhirl.org/

As you get more into the social networking way of communicating, you will discover other apps that are more tuned to your way of viewing information. The great thing is that all of these tools are FREE.

5. Budget your Twitter time

Twitter can be a huge timesink, especially when you start out. After many wasted hours, I finally understood that the smart way to use Twitter is to consider it as a "timestream" - it relentlessly moves forward. I dip into the timestream when I have a few minutes here and there, catching up on conversations, contributing some tweets, then move to my next activity.

I suggest you start by setting aside two or three 15-minute periods a day doing the following:

- responding to an interesting comment or question, whether I know the person or not (in Twitter, we are all one big family)

- Retweeting or RT-ing (forwarding) an interesting tweet to your follower network. Retweeting is a way to signal that you like the tweet, and RTs are a measure the popularity of a tweet

- Suggesting a link to an interesting article, blog post, website or video (yours or some else's. The proper way to pass on a link is to summarize the idea or title, followed by a shortened link. Most Twitter apps like Tweetdeck or Twhirl will automatically shorten the link for you. Or you can use link shortening sites like http://www.tinyurl.com or http://www.is.gd Keep your links short to maximize the use of your 140 characters.

- Sharing an idea, thought, or question. This is the fun part of Twitter, where you are contributing to the conversation. Tweet ideas that reinforce your personal positioning or brand (i.e. don't get too personal, stay clean, remember that you are posting on a very public bulletin board). By tweeting intelligent, provocative, funny or emotive tweets, you will start to attract interest, your tweets will be retweeted, and you will gain a following.

- Seeking interesting people to follow, by clicking on handles (@username) in other people's tweets. I like to look at people's tweets before I decide to follow (subscribe) to them. You are the ultimate decider of what you want in your twitterstream, so only follow people you find interesting (following is not reciprocal, in that because you follow someone, they don't follow you until they decide to, and vice-versa)

It may look like some people are spending all of their waking hours (and some sleeping hours) tweeting. Don't fall into that trap. 30-45 minutes a day is more than enough to derive a good benefit from Twitter.

Be inclusive, conversational and interesting and you will build a following that is interested in your thoughtstream. With your Twitter group, aim for quality people instead of quantity.

As you become more comfortable with Twitter, you can then progress to the intermediate level, where you can start to use Twitter to build your brand and attract prospects.

Happy Tweeting!

p.s. Please follow me @coachdavender or http://twitter.com/coachdavender , and let me know your Twitter name so I can follow you!

"From Passion To Profit" Action Hour: How To Be The "Go-To" Person Tues 1PM East

Join the "From Passion to Profit Action Hour" Tuesday at 1PM EASTERN (10am pacific):

THIS WEEK'S THEME: "How To Be The 'Go-To Person'"

How do you stand out from the crowd and become "the" person people naturally think of for a given situation?

Your positioning is what images or ideas come to mind with people think of you, and what people say when they talk about you. You have the power to shape those images and words.

In this call we will discuss strategies to plant the right seeds so you become the answer to your prospect's question.

This discussion and open coaching session focuses on helping you develop your network and get qualified referrals so you can book More and Better Clients. These are ideas you can put to work right away!

With Coach Davender
Tuesday 24 March, 1PM-2PM Eastern
Conference Dial-in Number: (218) 339-4600 Participant Access Code: 191192#
(live teleconference, FREE - you pay the long-distance toll to the conference number)

How do you answer "What do you do?" (Telediscussion Tues 10 Mar 1PM East)

Want More and Better Clients for your service biz?
Join the "From Passion to Profit Action Hour"
Tuesdays at 1PM EASTERN (10am pacific):


THIS WEEK'S THEME: "What do you do?"

What do you answer when someone asks you this question? Better be ready... your conversation partner will base their split-second decision on the words that you speak.

This discussion and open coaching session focuses on helping you develop your network and get qualified referrals so you can book More and Better Clients. Report your successes big and small from the previous week, and share your Big Hairy Audacious Action Step for the next seven days!

Your action step should be focused on Getting More and Better Clients, using the Networking strategies based on "Book Yourself Solid" by Michael Port (Networking, Direct Outreach, Referral and Keep-In-Touch)

Bring your questions, we'll discuss them!

With Coach Davender
Conference Dial-in Number: (218) 339-4600 Participant Access Code: 191192#
(live teleconference, FREE - you pay the long-distance toll to the conference number)

This accountability call normally takes place every Tuesday at 1pm Eastern, same number. Join us!

Distinctions between Facebook and LinkedIn

I've been getting questions lately from my clients about the difference between Facebook and LinkedIn, two major social networking sites. This is how I distinguish between the two:

- Facebook: Informal network, encourages personal connection through games, photos, videos, links, other entertainment. Promoting your products, services and activities is permitted and encourages through Group Pages and (in a different way) Fan Pages. The links between you and your Facebook Friends range from strong (you know the person well In Real Life) to weak (you did not know the person before they friended you on Facebook and you would not recognize them on the street).

- LinkedIn: A formal, professional network for business and career networking. Little if any personal information is acceptable. Your profile reads like a resume. No selling of your services, activities or products is allowed. The connections between you and your LinkedIn contacts are strong, meaning that you know your contacts In Real Life and you have worked or collaborated with them, or can otherwise provide a credible testimonial as to their professional performance. Mainly for business-to-business connections.

Personally, I recommend that solopreneurs be simultaneously on Facebook and LinkedIn, and to keep a consistant positioning between both networks. On Facebook, please maintain a decorum, it's okay to loosen your tie a bit but don't take off your shirt.



Go ahead, friend me on Facebook: http://profile.to/coachdavender
and see my profile on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/coachdavender

Stop hiding and show me the real you!

I received a call today from someone who wanted to let me know about a new investment club they're launching in my area. Of course, as she's talking to me, I google the name of the club and see the web site. Right away, my interest turns from lukewarm to cold.

Why? Because the web page is very impersonal. Actually, it reads like a sales pitch. Even though the nice lady wanted to create a connection with me, suggesting a personal meeting so she could explain what she offers, the first impression I had from the web site was that it was another dubious pitch. Whether that impression is deserved or not, that's what I got.

I assume as I talk to people on the phone, especially a cold call for the first time, that they are going to check out my site as we talk. So the feeling my site projects has to lead to building an initial level of trust between myself and my prospect.

Here are some tips to make your web page more friendly:

• Turn your web page into a personal conversation. Instead of "we" and "us", say "me" and "you". Talk to me. Start a conversation. Make it personal, because business is personal!
• Show me who you are. Lift the veil and show me the real people behind your project. Be proud. Of course I am going to google your name and do my due diligence on you personally before I go farther. If you're calling me, I want to see your picture as I talk to you, to create that personal connection.
• Make it easy to contact you. Webforms are okay, because of the problems of putting your real e-mail address out there, but please make it a bit customized. Include a contact name, phone number, and postal address so I can see it is a real business. (And yes I do Google map the postal address to see where it really is)
• Keep it fresh. Put some content with dates. Even better (and probably easier), have a link to a blog where I can read more about the real person that is you.

I expect impersonal websites from big corporations. From passion-driven entrepreneurs like you, I want to experience the "real you"!

What people really want to know

Another message from a great coaching session today...

With one of my clients we're working on how she introduces herself in networking situations. She came up with a competent answer to the question "what do you do?", in the form of "We provide xxx service using xxx platform."

Hmmm. My first reaction was "here's another person who wants to push their stuff on me"... not a good way to create trust!  So I shared with her one of my aphorisms:

When someone asks you "what do you do?",
they don't want to know what you do,
but rather what you can do for them.

When drafting your positioning statement or networking intro, you have to grab the listener's attention.  Instead of features and services, focus on benefits and impact.

I remember an advertising exec once saying that people are motivated by five basic things:

- Basic Needs: meet my needs for eat, sleep and sex (satisfy appetite)

- Convenience:  make life easier for me (simpler, cheaper, faster)

- Ego: make me better than the next person (more money, status, attention) and make me more attractive (to others, to the opposite sex)

- Fun: make life more fun (exciting, sexier)

- Peace of Mind: make me smarter, stronger, live longer, healthier, more secure, more inspired.

Take any mass-market magazine, or watch an hour of TV and take note of the message of the ads. Rarely do they talk about features. Play a little game to identify which motivators are triggered by each of the ads, and you will quickly understand the power of good marketing.

Then look at your product or service the same way.  Your networking statement, especially in the one-sentence short form, should trigger one of these motivations.  The objective of your statement is to grab their attention.  Once you have it, you can then go deeper into how you do it better than anyone else!

Links to articles on my website: 

- Don't sell, TELL! How to write a powerful one-page sales letter

- Make your networking message sing!

And a great site about Memory Hooks, a great way to help people remember who you are and what you can do for them.